The Lampeter Cafe - A coffee shop and more

We watched this ancient building being renovated for a long time.  A very long time.  It's at the corner of Lampeter road and Village road (741) in..... you guessed it... Lampeter.

It so happened that particular corner was on our route to work, so every day we marked the progress and wondered what was opening at that location.  A law office?  A medical building?  Some Realtors new palace perhaps?

A well appointed wedding/meeting venue.

Nope... one day the sign went up, and the mystery was solved.  It's the Lampeter Cafe.

Cool!   We will have to stop in and review them! (We said to each other).  That was.... um... a year ago?  Longer?  Yeah, well.... we be slackers.

Yesterday was the day we finally made it.  Out to run errands, we wanted breakfast.  All our usual haunts being too peopley, we wandered over to the Lampeter Cafe to finally make good on that threat.  Ha!  The Cafe was peopley too, but we persevered.

Right off the bat, let me say this.  The place sure does dole out the ambiance. They pulled out the stops during the renovation, and really made the premises into a welcoming spot. I agree wholeheartedly. It is a beautiful space. Multiple stories are made handicapped accessible with an elevator.

Right off the bat, let me say something else.  It may be the reason we took so long stopping in at the Lampeter Cafe.  Here's the thing.  It's NOT a restaurant.  Not by my definition.  You see, there is no table service.  No wait staff.  It's what I call a glorified cafeteria.  *Grumble-grumble, Grouse-grouse*.   When I go out to eat in a nice place, I want food brought to my table.  Cafeterias are for school kids, and hospitals, and worker drones, you know?

Except.... well... maybe not.  It just occurred to me the root word in cafeteria is 'cafe', and that means food done fast, and a place to eat it.  I guess that opens up a spectrum, upon which a business can find their own niche.

Lampeter 'Cafe' has carved out a pretty nice niche for themselves.  Once I redefined for myself the nature of our breakfast spot yesterday, I stopped grumbling.  It's not a restaurant... it really IS a cafe.  Like a coffee shop, only way..  WAY... bigger, much fancier, and with decent food, and with stylish venues for parties and meetings.

The Cafe has plenty of parking, with a nice entry-way off the patio.  The main building, the patio, and several outbuildings set up as flexible venues, are all tastefully appointed and decorated.  It's simply a pleasant place to be, as was clearly designed so.

Here we see the worst picture of Herself EVER presented.

Upon entering, one is immediately faced with the Cafeteria nature of the place, as there is a counter to order from and a counter to pick up at.  Yes, there's a menu, and a pretty glass display of delectable looking pastry type offerings.

Upon ordering and paying, the customer is handed a vibrating 'thing' to carry away as you find a table.  Coffee is self serve on the way.  Their coffee, in my opinion, is right darn good stuff, even if you have to get it for yourself.

We found a table near the fireplace (they had two fireplaces to choose from!), and had about ten minutes to look around and enjoy the atmosphere.   Then, that square vibratey thing lit up and danced across the table like it was on it's way to fight in a dwarvish battle against Smaug the dragon.  

Bloody well took me by surprise, it did.  He jumped. I jumped. It was pretty amusing.

I fetched (GRrrrrrr) our food from the counter, and we tucked into breakfast.  For Herself, 'Annies Hash', which she can describe if she ever gets out of bed this morning.  I had a bite, enough to say it was passably good.  Rich and filling. It was cheesy and savory. Hash browns, eggs, cheese, and meats baked with a crumb topping. Served with a little orange slice and some locally sourced bread that you can pick from. I had the honey whole wheat. My only complaint about the whole thing, was that the toast was barely toasted.

Meself, I had the 'Pioneer Wrap', which is .... when it comes down to it.... a full breakfast wrapped up in a flour tortilla.  It was all there too.  Eggsses, bacon, cheese, potatoes....

Annie's Hash, and a Pioneer breakfast wrap

My wrap was filling, and a good basic breakfast. The ingredients seemed of good quality, and were properly cooked.  Some days, it would be exactly what I want for breakfast.  Yesterday though, I wanted more.... flavor.  I ate a bite or two of his wrap and it was tasty. Maybe a little more cheese. But I love that the bacon was crumbled! I hate when I bite into a dish with strips of bacon and they pull the whole thing apart. Perhaps some sour cream, and a good dollop of spicy salsa.  Next time I'll ask for that on the side and see how they react.

Here at Castle Fat-Man, salsa is *always* an option.

Dollerfitty Cookie

Herself also had a cookie.  That being the Dollerfitty cookie, as I will call it.  It was a good cookie.  I don't know if it's a Dollerfitty cookie, but it was a good cookie. It was a pumpkin spice cookie with cinnamon icing, and it was very good. Maybe they should only charge a dollar though.

The tab came to just over $20 for two coffees, two breakfasts, and that Dollerfitty cookie.  Thinking about how the Lampeter Cafe compares to our regular breakfast haunts, I can see we traded off table service for a bill about $10 less than we usually spend.   Given the upscale nature of the dining areas, I'd have zero issue paying the extra $10 and even more, if the place had table service.

The thing is.... we have LOT'S of restaurants where we can spend $30 on a decent breakfast, and being waited on.  We also have a paucity of light, airy, attractive Cafe's where we can grab a light meal in a hurry, while enjoying a really well thought out venue.  Lampeter Cafe has stepped into that niche, and done a really good job of it.

We will be back.

So how does Lampeter Cafe, Lampeter fork up: 

3.75 Forks for flavor.
5.0 Forks for atmosphere
5.0  Forks for location. (Easy to find & loads of parking)
4.0 Forks for your value.
XXXX Forks for service. We feel this is not applicable in this situation, counter service was good and friendly.
4.4375 Total Forks Given

Roast pork butt......

With friends coming over, we wanted something special on the grill  Something toothsome and moan-worthy.  The original plan was Brisket, but then this ten pound pork butt appeared in the meat case at Musser's Market.  It .... called..... to me.

The day before it was to be cooked, I gave it a liberal dry rub and put it back in the fridge for 24 hours.  The dry rub was basic, traditional, and always a crowd pleaser.

Dry Rub, mix and apply heavily:

• 1/4 cup Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• Two tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
• Two heaping tablespoons garlic powder
• One heaping tablespoon sweet paprika

On The Day, the lovely meat was placed fat-cap up on the right side of the grill, with the leftest most burner turned on low.  Indirect heat is the way to go here.   230-250 degrees, depending on how long you have before you need it done.  Low and Slow.... it's like magic!

Temperature was monitored with THIS handy widget. bought on Amazon and delivered to the door for less than $25.

One probe into the deepest part of the roast, and the other on the top rack just above the roast.  One to follow the grill temp, and the other to track the meat internal temp.  Using a wee beastie like this allows the cook to Leave The Blasted Grill Alone, which is verrrry important.

Leave it alone.  Don't play with it.  Don't open the lid.  Leave It The Hell Alone!

After two hours at 230 degrees or so, the meat is ready to be rotated.  Turn the roast so the opposite side is facing the heat.   I like to start thin side to the heat, and rotate to bring thicker to bear after a few hours.

At the four hour mark, the roast can be flipped so the fat-cap is down, on the grill.  It can also be rotated again.  This will be the only point at which it gets flipped.

At the six hour mark, time to rotate.... and mop for the first time.

What is 'mopping'?  It's nothing more than brushing the meat down with some liquid concoction that keeps it moist while promoting a crust, or bark.   Volumes have be written about what should be in a good mop liquid, with most pit masters having deep, dark, secret recipes handed down for eons to first born sons, etc etc blah blah.

A good mop liquid may contain apple vinegar, brown sugar, garlic, whiskey, or whatever your heart desires.  This day, instead of getting fancy I simply cut a bottle of Kraft Hickory Smoke BBQ sauce 50/50 with water.  That's it.  Mixed in a container with a lid, and applied with a cook's brush.  No hoo-hoo or fuss.  The roast gets mopped about every hour after that six hour mark, and rotated as you see fit. 

At the nine hour mark, or when the internal temp hits about 135 degrees, kick up the grill temp to 375 degrees.  On my grill, that means lighting another burner and tweaking the regulator a tad.

This higher temp will hold for about an hour, or till the meat hits 160 degrees.  Mop a few times, but not in the last 20 minutes or so of cooking.  The higher temp will create a delicious crust on the roast that is magical.  Guests will fight over the end cuts, so be prepared with bandages and first aid supplies.

Once the meat gets to 160 degrees internal, just shut off the grill and leave the lid open.  Set your timer for 30 minutes, and WALK AWAY.  Seriously.... WALK AWAY.  This 'rest' time changes everything.  Give it the time it needs, and the meat will be juicy and tender.  Rush it, and it tends towards dry and tough.  Your choice..... are you patient enough?

Move from the grill to a cutting board, slice thin, and FEAST.

Jack's Family Tavern, in Millersville. A quick review....

Yesterday, feeling peevish and peckish, I just wanted OUT of the house.  I'm recovering from surgery, and this sitting around really does SU...... well...... I'm not enjoying it much. Himself is bored and his pain is enough under control that he is cranky about it. He has taken to yelling at clouds and shaking his cane at them.😜

So, Herself and I packed my busted bits up and headed into Millersville to give Jack's Tavern a try.  I mean... what could go wrong?   Cold beer on a stupid hot day.  That HAD to be good.

And it was.

Me being a gimp at the moment, we took a table instead of a seat at the bar. I almost always prefer a table to a bar, I am short and my legs dangle.   Lucky we were, as the place began filling up soon after we were seated (around 5ish). This is after Himself made a crack about eating with the elderly crowd. Out loud, in public... the elderly couple who sat across from us, did not find him amusing.

I'd been craving a Yuengling Lager, and they were on the spot with a cold glass of Yuengling from the tap.  You know how it is when you just.... crave.... something?  So yeah, that first glass went empty pretty quickly. 

Herself had some Foofy Pina Colada thing, and then some Foofy Orange Creme thing.  Ugh. They were hardly "foofy". I had a pina colada (cue the singing! You're welcome!) and an orange creamsicle adult beverage. They are icy cold, sweet, and tasty on a hot day!

The foods?  We started with a plate of loaded fries.  They lugged over this tray full of fries, smothered in cheese sauce and enough bacon to explain a local pig shortage.   It, all alone, was a meal for two.  Nothing crazy special, except in portion, it was good solid Pub Food.  Exactly what a few people would want after a long beer session. What does makes Jack's fries special, is that they are house cut fries! That is something that really goes a long way in terms of flavor.

Next up, Herself just had to try the 'Jackalope Eggs'.  Three hard boiled eggs, rolled in crumbs, deep fried, and tossed with hot sauce.   Did I mention Jack's is in a college town?  Yeah..... these things are sheer beer drinking frat-pack crack.   To me, meh.  I'd only had that one beer so far.  To herself..... she can describe what she thought.  She finished them. He does not like scotch eggs either! Heathen! The eggs come as either a single, or a nest (3 eggs). They were rolled in hot sauce, that had a perfect amount of spice and I had them with bleu cheese dressing. They are a great bar food treat in my opinion.

We both ordered burgers, seeing how they are hand made and looked bloody good, going past on trays headed to other tables.  I had the 'Malibu', which entailed a half pound of house ground beef and all the usual fixings.  Cheese, bacon, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, and mayo.
I had the Jack's burger with onions, mushrooms, and it would normally come with American cheese. I asked for Swiss and PepperJack instead. This is an excellent burger. I later found out (directly from the message Jack's restaurant sent me on FB) that they have been grinding their own meat there daily for 35 years.  I added mayo to mine, and honestly it was so moist and delicious I could have eaten it without. Next time I will ask for it without a bun, as it just didn't need it, and it was messy enough that I had to use a knife and a fork!

Color me pleased.  I like a good burger, and Jack's is worth every penny.  I WILL be having this again.

Easy to get to, lot's of parking, friendly staff, and food that hit the mark.  Yup, we will be back. It is so rare to find a genuine "diamond in the rough". I can't believe we lived here for so long without trying this gem! 

So how Jack's Family Tavern, Millersville fork up: 

4.5 Forks for flavor.
3.8 Forks for atmosphere. (It is a little on the dark side, and the decor is dated. Part of it's charm is in that history)
4.75  Forks for location. (Easy to find & loads of parking)
4.95 Forks for your value.
4.85 Forks for service. 
4.57 Total Forks Given

A little about herself...

 (Alternative title:  'Look!  A Squirrel!')

I am a Mom, a Friend, a Partner, a Lover, an Everyday Foodie. I am distracted easily, hence all the squirrel jokes. I love shiny things, and if I wasn't with himself, I would be a crazy cat lady.  I am a woman of varied tastes (wink, wink, nudge, nudge). I'm formerly Italian (thanks 23 and me for ruining that illusion! LOL) and English from my Mom, and my Dad moved here from Nova Scotia when he was a kid, so Canadian, Scottish, German and English on that side. I grew up in New England, moved to Pittsburgh area in High School, then to Lancaster County. A tour in upstate New York, then back to the farmland in South Central PA. I think all this helped shape my tastes.

I love American Wines, Italian Food, Lobstah,and Pissah clams. My chowdah better be thick like cream not thin like milk.  Steak Salad and Pierogies are the bomb. I love Speedies and good pizza. I prefer Dunkin' Donuts to Krispy Kreme, and have a crazy sweet tooth.

I grew up watching Julia Child and the Frugal Gourmet with my Step-Dad and cooking alongside my Dad in the kitchen. Nothing is more amazing than a man who cooks. It is part of what attracted me to Arthur. Well, that and his overall studliness (stop rolling your eyes, right this minute Mr. Man!)

Over the past two years I have been trying to eat healthier and  put better things in my body. I started working out and had the leg cast to prove it! I love taking a traditionally 'bad for you' recipe and giving it a healthier spin. My gluten free brownies are actually pretty tasty, and very rich! Although, to be completely honest, kale  (Gag) still has not won me over no matter how hard I try.

I love the beach, and honestly believe salt air cleans the soul. I try to get there at least once a year, to refresh my selkie self. I love shellfish, but can't get into crabs, unless the work is already done. I can shuck an entire lobster in under 7 minutes. Yet, I am not a huge fresh fish fan.

My favorite website before going into any restaurant is the PA Food Safety Website and I look at the most recent inspection before I go anywhere. I have turned around and not eaten at a place because their inspection was questionable. Here is The Link.

I have a few kitchen gadgets I genuinely love. Pyrex bowls for hand mixing and the Kitchenaid stand mixer for everything else. My Zoodler is just the coolest thing. A really good paring knife (one of the best I found at The Restaurant Store for right around $6) is indispensable. The T-Fal Frying pan... himself found on Amazon after we saw it on America's Test Kitchen. I believe baking is a science, and not something you should do haphazardly. I rarely use a recipe when cooking anything else. 

Wait.... was that a squirrel?

Berts Bottle Shop, over in Millersville.

I'm sure all of our readers (All two of you!) know how this old story goes.  We pass by a new place, and say "Oh, We'll have to give them a try soon!".   And then...... you see a squirrel or something, and all bets are off.

We, in fact, do this same exact thing over and over, without the least bit of irony at all.  We honestly do mean to get in and try these places.   Hey.... SQUIRREL!

Bert's Bottle Shop, on Comet Drive in Millersville, is yet another of those places. It's been there a year now, and how damn many times have we said "Oh, we should... SQUIRREL!"   I've lost track.

This past Saturday we were headed out and about, and finally made it past all those squirrels to give Bert's a try.   Wow.... all this time we could have been going there as regulars.  The place is great!

So, what is this  'Bert's Bottle Shop' all about?  Well... beer.  Lots of beer.  Many, many lots of beer.  All the beers.   They know beer.  They live beer.  They have *collectable* beer. Okay Mister Man, slow your roll. Yes they have an amazing selection of beers! More importantly, they have knowledge of beer. I am not a huge beer drinker, I only got a "taste" for it a few years back, and it will certainly never replace Bourbon for me, but sometimes it is a nice change. They had one beer I really enjoyed Hoppin Frog Turbo Shandy Citrus Ale! I picked it out from the shelf, they chilled it and served it to me! It was awesome-sauce!

Way down in the back, where it's dark and hard to see, they even have a token bottle of .... shudder...... Miller Light. I didn't see it!

Oh, and they have WINE ON TAP! They also offer a wine flight!  Also, a limited menu of mixed drinks using only the best spirits available.

Past all those shenanigans Bert's has a one page food menu that's deceptively simple looking.  Right up until you try their food, that is.

Yup.... that's right.  They are foodies as well as "beer"ies.  Don't be looking for  HoHum burgers and freezer fries. I don't think that's happening at Bert's.  Look for ..... Pasties and Bresaola and Stilton.. Oh MY! More like oh YUM!

They have Charcuterie trays, and we all know how soft us Dragon's get over a tray of gourmet meat and cheese.  Of course, we had to have thaaaats, our preciouuuuuusssss.

It was served on a carving board, and gave us an excellent array of flavors.  Nothing on that tray was low rent.  The meats were resounding triumphs, and the cheese deserved poems written to them.  Especially that cranberry Stilton.  $18 for your choice of five meats or cheeses, served with nuts, dried fruit, honey, several exotic jams, and crackers.  Not one single bit of it was pedestrian fare from Weis market. Locally sourced, and all of it exemplary. 

While we sipped our (really, really excellent) beer, a flat bread found its way to share space with the Charcuterie tray.  Sauteed mushrooms, caramelized onions, and goat cheese... all on a fresh flat bread and warmed under the fire till the cheese just started to brown.

Herself was enamored of the flat bread, more so than I was.  Not that I didn't appreciate the offering, but that tray of meat and cheese had my full attention.  Herself can comment more on the flatbread.  Make her tell you how good the onions were... nom nom. The flat bread was very good. The onions were cooked until soft with a hint of caramelization, then loaded with mushrooms and goat cheese. The toppings were very generous. The only thing I think it may have benefited from was a small herb salad topping with a balsamic drizzle. It would take it up that extra notch.

There's no doubt we will be back.  There's things on the menu that are calling out to us, like a siren song.  Every one of them has a beer to match, and the folks at Bert's will be happy to match them up for you. Bert himself sat and spoke with us, and explained they offer a Beer School. It is a 4 course dinner with a beer or two paired with each course. It is offered monthly for around 45$ (don't quote me but I think that was the price). They also have 2$ Taco Tuesdays, and a Music Bingo night. 
  Yeah, it's not cheap-date time.  Their prices seem ever so slightly on the rich side, right up till you try the food and sip the beer and realize it's strictly high end fare.   Stuff that good does not come cheap, no matter what that funny looking Ollie's guy says.

I nursed a pint of excellent Porter myself, while Herself swilled bottle after bottle of rare beers I've never heard of before. I only had 2 beers!  All while we made appreciative happiness noises over some very tasty menu offerings. 

I need to add another piece, they were not super busy when we arrived, BUT they did get busier as we sat there, never once did the service slack. The bartender was on it. He was friendly. He greeted everyone. He was helpful and recommended beers I might like. I feel bad I did not get his name. 

I love supporting a local place, serving local food and doing it very well! So we will definitely be back.  

Yeah.... we'll be back.  Meet us there sometime?

 

How does Bert's Bottle Shop Fork up? 
4.85 Forks for flavor.
4.5 Forks for atmosphere.
4.5  Forks for location. (Easy to find & they are adding outdoor seating)
4.15 Forks for your value.
5 Forks for service. 
4.6 Forks overall